| FABTECH 2027 at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Show | FABTECH 2027 |
| Start date | Monday, September 13, 2027 |
| End date | Thursday, September 16, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall | September 13-16, 2027 |
| Venue | McCormick Place |
| City | Chicago, IL |
| Official website | fabtechexpo.com |
| Organizer | SME, with FMA, AWS, PMA, and IFCA |
A booth built by Methodex for Tonelli Group at IBIE 2025.
Photo: Methodex
FABTECH 2027 key facts
| 2026 edition | October 21-23, 2026, Las Vegas Convention Center (North, Central, and South Halls) |
| 2027 halls (FABTECH 2027 floor plan, checked October 2026) | Halls A, B, C, and D |
| 2026 deadlines | EAC forms and insurance certificates due August 28; advance warehouse (Freeman, 6675 W Sunset Rd, Las Vegas) from September 8, after-deadline charge after October 1; rigging plans due September 11; Freeman discount deadline September 14 |
| 2026 move-in and move-out | Targeted move-in October 12-19; move-in complete by 4:30 p.m. October 20; move-out October 23-26, halls cleared by 4:30 p.m. October 26 |
| Held | Annually, in a rotating host city |
| Show size | FABTECH 2025 (Chicago): 42,000 industry participants, more than 1,700 exhibitors, and more than 885,000 sq ft of exhibit space |
| General service contractor (GSC) | Freeman (2026 show) |
| Island and split island height (2026 Las Vegas show rules) | 20 ft for identification signs, canopies, and displays |
| Inline and corner setbacks (2026 Las Vegas show rules) | Exhibition Rules: displays 4-20 ft high within 10 ft of a neighboring exhibit at least 5 ft from the aisle; General Display Rules, inline: displays over 4 ft within 10 ft of a neighboring exhibit set back 5 ft from the main aisle; corner: same rule within 10 ft of the common side with the neighbor |
| Peninsula setbacks (2026 Las Vegas show rules) | Back wall and displays over 4 ft 5 ft from the main aisle and 10 ft from the neighboring exhibit |
| Machinery (2026 Las Vegas show rules) | Exempt from height limits; no built-up platforms other than skids; machine fronts at least 2 ft from the aisle; machinery and equipment could occupy no more than 60% of the total exhibit space (confirm for 2027) |
| Hanging sign rules (2026 Las Vegas show rules) | Island, split-island, and peninsula booths of 800 sq ft and larger; 25 ft maximum, measured from the floor to the top of the sign; peninsula and split-island signs at least 5 ft from the neighbor’s back line; installed by Freeman; within booth boundaries, not over aisles or neighboring space |
| Flooring (2026 show) | Exhibit area not carpeted; exhibitors provide flooring; no anchoring in any LVCC hall; machines or equipment could not be fastened to the floor by drilling |
| Material handling (2026 show) | Exhibits of 1,500 sq ft and larger: unlimited material handling at $2.00 per sq ft |
| Hall ceiling height (McCormick Place, 2027 venue; building figures) | South Building Halls A1 and A2 40 ft (20 ft beneath food pods); North Building Hall B1 40 ft and Hall B2 18 ft under lights |
| Floor load (McCormick Place; building figures) | South Building Halls A1 and A2 and North Building Halls B and C: 400 lb per sq ft |
| Chicago hall rules (FABTECH 2025 show) | Halls A (South Building), B (North Building), and D (Lakeside) used; maximum display height 20 ft; Hall B2 (North Building): displays no higher than 16 ft, no hanging signs, and no anchoring |
| EAC policy (2026 show rules) | Allowed; EAC form and insurance certificate through the Exhibitor Hub by August 28, 2026; show management notified 45 days before the first scheduled installation date, and written notice from the EAC 45 days ahead; no outside drayage, electrical, or plumbing contractors |
The height, sign, flooring, and EAC rules come from the FABTECH 2026 Las Vegas show documents; the Hall B2 limit comes from FABTECH 2025 in Chicago. Ceiling heights are building measurements, not build limits. Confirm the rules in the FABTECH exhibitor manual before you design.
Last checked: October 2026
FABTECH 2026 ran October 21 to 23 in the North, Central, and South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). FABTECH 2027 moves to McCormick Place in Chicago, September 13 to 16. The 2026 Las Vegas rules capped island displays, canopies, and identification signs on a FABTECH trade show booth at 20 feet.
2026 Las Vegas height and hanging sign rules
Split-island booths had the same limit. Machinery and equipment were exempt from height limits, but machines couldn’t be raised on any built-up platform other than skids, and machine fronts had to stay at least 2 feet from the aisle, measured from the farthest point of the machine, such as a skid, conveyor, or control. The 2026 rules also limited machinery and equipment to 60% of the total exhibit space, so confirm whether that limit applies in 2027.
Displays from 4 to 20 feet high within 10 feet of a neighboring exhibit had to sit at least 5 feet from the aisle. In an inline booth, that meant any display over 4 feet within 10 feet of a neighbor sat 5 feet back from the main aisle. Corner booths applied that rule along the side shared with a neighbor. In a peninsula, the back wall and displays over 4 feet stayed 5 feet from the main aisle and 10 feet from the neighbor. A split island’s shared back wall had to be finished on the back with no wires, graphics, or logos, and double-sided signs, logos, and graphics had to sit 10 feet from adjacent booths. In a corner booth, towers with text facing a neighbor, and other display material such as signs and balloons, over 8 feet tall had to be placed at least 5 feet from the border with the neighbor.
Hanging signs were limited to island, split-island, and peninsula booths of 800 square feet or larger, so a 20×20 island did not qualify. Signs could reach 25 feet, measured from the floor to the top of the sign. Freeman, the general service contractor (GSC) in 2026, installed them.
Ceilings and hall limits in Chicago
At McCormick Place, South Building Halls A1 and A2 have 40-foot ceilings, dropping to 20 feet beneath the food pods. In the North Building, Hall B1 has the same ceiling, while Hall B2 measures 18 feet under lights. The FABTECH 2027 floor plan, checked in October 2026, lists Halls A, B, C, and D. FABTECH 2025 used Hall A (South Building), Hall B (North Building), and Hall D (Lakeside). FABTECH 2025’s rules set a 20-foot maximum display height. In the B2 section of the North Hall, displays could not exceed 16 feet, hanging signs were not permitted, and anchoring was prohibited.
Flooring, contractors, layout, and sound in 2026
The 2026 exhibit area wasn’t carpeted, so exhibitors brought their own flooring. Exhibits of 1,500 square feet and larger received unlimited material handling at $2.00 per square foot.
The exhibitor-appointed contractor (EAC) form and certificate of insurance were due August 28, 2026. For an EAC handling installation and dismantle (I&D), show management had to be notified 45 days before the first scheduled installation date, and the EAC also had to give show management written notice 45 days ahead. Outside drayage, electrical, and plumbing contractors were not allowed.
Owners and engineers come to evaluate forming, welding, finishing, and automation equipment. A FABTECH layout gives running machines clear viewing space from the aisle. The 2026 rules allowed a maximum reading of 80 dB on the A scale, measured in the aisle next to the booth or at a neighboring booth.
For the 2027 show in Chicago, get a FABTECH booth quote. Methodex designs and builds the booth and ships it to the show. If your booth needs its own floor, compare trade show flooring options, and see our custom booth builds for larger islands.
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